The present invention relates to a cluster package construction wherein at least one articles is packaged by a wrap of sheet material.
It is not a recent development to package consumer products in clusters of four, six, or eight or more. Canned beverages are, in most cases, packaged in a cluster of six in two rows with three cans in each row. Even fruits such as apples are also packaged in a unit of two, three, or four or more.
As regards the prior art cluster package constructions, reference may be had to any one of the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,477,564, patented Nov. 11, 1969; 3,532,214, patented Oct. 6, 1970; 3,66O,961, patented May 9, 1972; 3,817,373, patented June 18, 1974; and 3,834,525, patented Sept. 10, 1974.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,477,564 discloses a shrink-wrapped cluster package comprising six similar cylindrican cans in two parallel rows with three cans in each row, and at least a generally plate-like, molded positioner enclosed together with the cans and positioned on the tops of the cans. The positioner is described as including a sheet of generally rectangular overall configuration with a pair of integrally molded depressions formed therein and spaced from each other along the longitudinal centerline of the sheet. Each depression extends into the interior of the package between a group of four adjacent cans. An outerwrap of flexible transparent film is disposed around the cans and the positioner to maintain these elements in assembled relationship. A finger grip opening is located in the bottom wall of each depression in the positioner, and portions in the outerwrap permit access to the finger grip openings so that the package can be handled easily.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,532,214 discloses a similar package utilizing a positioner having a plurality of partitioning means formed integrally therewith. The positioner with the partitioning means is made of paperboard with the partitioning means serving to avoid any possible direct contact between the adjacent two beverage bottles packaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,373 discloses a similar package utilizing a cradle for supporting the articles from below and also for partitioning pairs of the articles from each other, which cradle is enclosed within the outerwrap together with the articles.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,525 discloses a 2.times.3 array of cyoindrical beverage cans arapped with a heat-shrunk film which has a top region lying above the tops of the beverage cans formed with a pair of parallel and spaced slits. Each of the spaced slits extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal sense of the shape of the top region and between the adjoining can pairs, and when the thumb and middle finger are inserted at the central void of the cluster of the beverage cans and when these fingers are subsequently brought together while lifting, a central strap portions of the top region defined between these slits stretches slightly under the pendulous weight of the package, allowing all remaining fingers to be inserted under the handle, which is then served by the central strap portion.
In the last mentioned U.S. patent, reference has been made to the similar cluster package wherein the top region of the wrap of heat-shrunk film enclosing the beverage cans is formed with a pair of spaced fingerholes instead of the spaced slits, which fingerholes are said to be aligned with the central void ins the cluster of the beverage cans.
Except for the cluster package disclosed in any one of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,660,961 and 3,834,525, it has been found that any of the positioner and the cradle used in the prior art cluster packages is complicated in shape and structure and, the use thereof appears not only to make the packaging process complicated, time-consuming and expensive, but also to make the resultant cluster package expensive to manufacture.
On the other hand, since the cluster package according to any one of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,66O,961 and 3,834,525 does not make use of any reinforcement, it appears that the material for the wrap film is limited for that central strap portion of the wrap film or a portion of the wrap film between the fingerholes to be utilizeable as a handle or finger grip. In other words, unless the material for the wrap film is carefully selected, the strap portion or that portion of the wrap film between the fingerholes will readily break or cut when the cluster package is lifted.